Freight loading apparatus



March 31, 1959 H. DUNLAP FREIGHT LOADING APPARATUS Original Filed Sept. 25, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 W IHIHI I IIII mm W INVENTOR H6777? 4 z p j2% 1 77' A E g,

March 31, 1959 H. DUNLAP FREIGHT LOADING APPARATUS Original Filed Sept. 25, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 H. L. DUNLAP' 2,879,721

FREIGHT LOADING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 31, 1959 Original Filed Sept. 25, 1948 INVENTOR #9777] 466 Jaw/4;

I I M. I 17774 #EYJZ March 31, 1959 H. L. DUNLAP 9,

FREIGHT LOADING APPARATUS Original Filed Sept; 25, 1948 s Sheets-Sheet 4 INVEN TOR 777 zvsrs.

March 31 1959 H. L. DUNLAP I 2,879,721

FREIGHT LOADING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Sept. 25, 1948 INVENTOR #9777 Are ,Uz/w 4p March 31, 1959 H. 1.. DUNLAP FREIGHT LOADING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Original Filed Sept. 25, 1948 KVIIIIIIIIIQ 2 Wm m wfw M m umO/V %W Un ted St t O Products Company, Plymouth, Mich., a corporation of Delaware 'Original applications" September- 25, 1948, Serial No.

51.272. and October 6,1949, Serial No. 119,942, now

Patent No. 2,497,683, dated February 14, 1950, and

Patent No, 2,725,826, dated December 6, 1955. I Divid'ed and this application November 7,1955, Serial 28 Claims. (Cl; 105-669).

The present invention relates to improved loading apparatus', which is readily adjustable and widely adaptable to hold freight articles of ditferent types in vehicles or storage spaces; and more particularly to improved equipment of. this nature'which: is built intov or'combin'ed with a vehicle, suchas: a" railway freightcar, to hold (that is, for example, to brace, support, or carry, space, wedge, or to provideshe'l ves, partitions or bins for) awide variety of packages or parts-duringshipment.

The objects of this invention are to provide improved, adjustable and removable cross bars, extending between the side rails, and having. improvedconnections with side rails; to'-provid'e:-such-= structures wherein the bars embody pitch-splitting features which increase the fineness of adjustment of the system; to provide such structures characterized by the provision of improved latching-type jaw arrangements:

Further objects' of th'e presentiinventionare to provide improved cross bar structures per se, as aforesaid, for use in the above aswell as other freight loading'organizations; and to' provide hans'tt-uctureswh'ich are readily convertible so that as'ingle bar mayl'b'e used' in'any'of a plurality of different freight: loading organizations.

With the: above as we'll as other and more detailed objects in view ,-which appear in: the following'description' and in the: appended claims, preferred but illustrative embodiments of the invention are shown in the" accompanyingi drawings; throughout the several i views of which l corresponding-reference characters areused to designate corresponding parts and in-which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the interior of a freight car equipped with the present loading apparatus;

Fig. 2 is =a broken view in-horizontal section illustrating a preferred structural relation between-the: belt line side rails' and the uprightsid posts of the car, and taken along the 1ine-2 =2.=o't Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary-J view in vertical section, taken along'the line' 3 -6 of-Fig'. Land further illustrating a preferred connection between the side rails and the upright side postsof 'the car;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view'in horizontal section,

showing certain details o'f the present irnproveddoorway arrangem'ent;

Fig; 5 is a fragmentary viewin side elevation illustrating further details of the doorway arrangement and further showing I an e'nd portion of a the present improved convertible cross bar;-

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the structure Fig; 7 is a view in-verticalsection, taken along the line-7-7of Fig. 6; i

Fig. 8 is a view in vertical section, takenalong the line 88 of'Fig. 7; 6

Fig. 9 is a'--view' in vcrtical-section, -taken along the line 99 of Fig. 7;

Fig; 10 -is'- a-bottdnt view of the structure shown in Fi 6;

i ig; 11 is" a view in' vertic'al sectiomtaken alongthe line 11-41 of Fig." 7;-

Fig; 12 is-'- a fragmentary f view" illustrating: one r of lce 2 several alternative freight loading organizations with which the improved convertible cross bar of the present invention may be used; I

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary view in vertical section, showing the cross bar of Fig', 5 in condition for use with a wall structure of the type shown in Fig. 12;

Fig". 14 is a somewhat diagrammatic view illustrating the several successive stages involved in applying the cross bar of Fig'. 13 to a wall structure of'the' general type'shown in Fig; 12;

Fig 15 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal vertical section of a simplified form of cross bar} I Fig. 16 is a fragmentary plan view of the bar" of Fig. 15; p i

Fig; 171s a fragmentary view in vertical section, showing a modified construction of convertible crossbar;

Figs; 18 and 19 are; respectively, views in transverse vertical section, taken along the lines 18-18 and 19-"- 19 of Fig. 17; and, g I

Fig ZO is a view'of the bar shownin Fig. 17, but converted for use with and applied to a wall structure of the general type shown in Fig. 12. ,7

It will be appreciated from a complete understanding of the present invention that the improvements thereof may be embodied in widely differing forms; that certainof the eleme'nts' or subcombinations' found therein may be u'tilized independently of each other and of the combination as a whole, and that the present convertible bar, though illustrated in connection with only several known alternative forms; of general loading structures, may, withinthe spirit of" the invention, be utilized with others. Accordingly, the disclosure herein of specific forms" of the invention is' to be regarded in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Referringfirst to Figures 1 thr'oughS, the illustrated railway freight car is, except inrespect tothe hereinafter described freight loading elements, of generally conventional construction. Generally speaking, it" comprises a usual floor structure 20, sidewalls 22 and 24, a roof structure 2 6, and end walls 28; one of which is shown in Fig. 1. Although the wall24 is illustrated as extending uninterruptedly-from and'to the ends of the car, and thewa'll 22 is illustrated as being provided with a door o ening 30, it will be appreciated that in many instances, both side walls may be provided with door ni u The structural elerrients which' pr'ovidea frame for and support the fioor structure' 20'form no part" of' the present invention and are not illustrated herein. The framing'structure for the side and end w'allsof the'car primarily comprise the series of longitudinally spaced'v'ertically extending upright intermediate posts 32, corner posts 34, anddoor'posts 36. The side wall posts are shown in Figure'l, it being understoodthat theintermediate posts forthe end wall 28, if used, are concealed behind the usual wooden liner. The" roof structure is defined generallyl'by laterally spaced upper rails '38, and interconnecting rafters40. The side walls and the roof are, of course, sheathed as-indicatedgenerally at' 42 and-44. I

In accordance with the illustrated embodiment of'the present invention, the loadingorganization is of the belt line type, the basic elements of this loading organization being a series of horizontally disposed, longitudinally ex- 5 .tending, vertically, spaced, side rails 46, arranged at respectively opposite sides of the car, in vertically aligned relation, and a series ofadjustable and removable cross bars48. Important features of thepresent invention (claimed in parent application Serial-No.119',942, filed October 6,v 1949 and-now Patent-2,725,826) have to do-with the 'structureof 'the side rails '46'--per se and their combinationwith the upright side posts, so as to form integrated and strong, but nevertheless light weight, lattice-like side wall structures for the car.v More particularly, each latticed side wall structure is made up of integrally interconnected upright pos ts 32-3436 (which extend between and are rigidly connected to the floor and roof structures 2038) and the series of vertically spaced side rails 46. As most clearly appears in Figs. 2 and 3, each individual side 'rail extends uninterruptedly from corner post to corner post of the corresponding wall except where interrupted by the previously mentioned door opening 30. As pointed out above, in the illustrated embodiment, the door opening 30 is provided at only one side and it will be understood, accordingly, that if a view corresponding to Figure 2 be based upon the wall 24, it will duplicate Figure 2, except that the door opening 30 and the door posts 36 would be lacking. Each individual side rail 46 is rigidly secured to each of its corresponding side, corner, and door posts 32-3436. As shown, these rigid connections are effected by welding, the weld points being indicated at 50. It will be understood, of course, that if desired, each individual side rail may be made of an initially continuous length of material or a succession of initially separate lengths. The welded joints between the postsand the side rail portions, of course, integrate these side rail portions.

The side rails 46 resist bending both transversely of and vertically of the car. More particularly, in the illustrated form, the side rails 46 are of angle iron form, having the horizontally extending shelf forming flanges 52, and the vertical flanges 54. As hereinafter described, the door opening 30 may be and preferably is provided with a series of removable side rails 56, which duplicate the rails 46, and are removably connected to the door posts 36.

It will be noticed that the side rails 46 lie immediately inwardly of the car with respect to the posts 323436, and that the flanges 52 extend inwardly of the car. In the preferred practice of the invention, intermediate buffer panels 58, are secured to the'side walls, in the space between adjacent pairs of side rails 46. Preferably, and as illustrated, the inner surfaces of these buffer panels project into the car slightly farther than do the flanges 52. Thus, the buffer panels primarily define the inner wall surfaces and these wall surfaces are free of any freight engaging protuberances, which might otherwise injure freight, either during loading or unloading, or in transit.

It will be appreciated that the major freight-imposed loads, to which a freight car is subjected during transit, are horizontal and lengthwise of the car, these loads being imposed primarily under abrupt starting or stopping conditions. In the present structure, these freight imposed loads are uniformly distributed between all of the upright wall posts, this distribution being effected by the rigid connections between these posts and the side rails. These interconnecting and reinforcing side rails, being provided with'the vertically and horizontally extending strength portions (in this case, flanges 54 and 52) are able to withstand substantial loads, both in tension and compression and thus strongly resist buckling in directions either transversely or vertically of the car. Independently, of their function as supports for the cross members 48, accordingly, the present side rails 46 materially strengthen the freight car structure as, a whole.

Each door post 36 carries a set of clips 37 which removably receive the vertical flanges of the door rails. 56, and support them sothat the horizontal flanges thereof are aligned with and constitute continuations of the fixed rails 46. Each door rail 56 maybe and preferably is provided with a pair of retractable, spring biased locking pins 57, disposed to be received in apertures provided therefor in the posts 36. 1

' As shown, the posts 36 carry wooden nailing strips 39,

which may serve as nailin'g'surfaces'to permita conventional grain door to be fixed in place across the doorway. In applying such a door, the ends thereof may, of course, be notched to accommodate those portions of rails 46 which project over the strips 39.

Coming now to the relation between the side rails 46 and the cross bars 48, the rails are provided with separate holding means, whichare distributedin uniformly spaced relation along the length of the rails, so that the cross bars can be applied thereto at any desired point along the length of the car. At the same time, the side rails are of a form which enables them to support the cross bars while they are being moved from one adjusted position lengthwise of the car to another position. This feature materially reduces the work of installing the bars, since it is only necessary for the workman to initially position a cross bar on the rail and thereafter shove it to a desired position. In the preferred and illustrated practice of the invention, these holding means take the form of punched openings 60, and the corresponding holding means provided on the cross bars take the form of slightly tapered latching pins 62, each end of each cross bar being preferably provided with a pair of these pins 62, the spacing between which is a multiple of (in this case twice), the spacing between adjacent holes 60. Pins 62 have a working fit in holes 60. l i

Coming now to the invention claimed herein and a preferred construction of cross bar, and referring particularly to Figures 1, and 5 through 10, each individual cross bar 48 comprises an intermediate freight engaging body portion 70, and a pair of identical end heads 72 and 74. In order to enable the bar to. accommodate itself to varying car widths (which variations may bedue either to original manufacturing variations, or to weaving of the car or the like), and in accordance with the invention broadly claimed in Nampa Patent 2,679,214 assigned to the assignee hereof, the heads 72 and 74 are telescopically related to the body 70 of the bar. The telescopic rela tion may, if desired, be employed in connection with only one of the heads 72 and 74, in which event the non-telescopic head may be rigidly secured to the body 70. Only the heads 72 are shown in the more detailed figures, Figures 5 through 10.

As herein illustrated, each head His a forging, one end 76 whereof is rigidly secured, as by welding as indicated at 78, to a cylindrical sleeve 80. Sleeve 80 is slidably received in an outer sleeve 82 which in turn is rigidly connected to the body of the bar. As best seen in Figure ll, the body of the bar is primarily defined by a reinforcing Z-bar 90, having vertically extending flanges 92 and a web 94. Butler bars 96 are rigidly secured in place on either side of the web 94 and serve to define relatively soft freight-engaging surfaces all the way around the bar.

The outer sleeve 82 may be and preferably is formed from an initially plane sheet of material which is first acted upon to define the axially extending grooves 98, and isthereafterrolled up into cylindrical form and intro duced into a notch provided therefor in the web 94. The meeting edges of the sleeve 82 receive the web 94 between them, and the web-to-sleeve connections are completed by welding (not shown)... The sleeve 82 thus defines a cylindrical bore to receive the sleeve .80 and also defines the guide grooves 98. Sleeve 80 carries a drive pin 102 which limits the telescoping movement between the parts. Assembly of the parts is completed by introducing sleeve 80 into sleeve 82 a short distance, and thereafter inserting the drive pin 102 througheach of the oppositely disposed but aligned apertures 104 in sleeve 82, this operation being performed, of course, while the hereinafterv described, adapter arm106. is swung out of interfering relation.

Viewed in plan, each head 72 defines an opening which is roughly rectangular, having a forward wall 110, a rear wall 112, and'laterally spaced side walls 114. The opening defined by these walls receives the hereinafter described spring-biased, latch or attachment member 116.

Although the pins 62 are'in slightly non symmetrical relation with respect to the axis of the bar, it is to be noted that these pins are relatively widely separated and so have a broad bearing on the rail 46 and give a high degree of end restraint. Accordingly, the various types of loads applied to the bar have little or no tendency to cock it or rock it about its axis. Even though this broad bearing is provided also, it is to be noted that the entire structure of each head 7274 lies within the confines of the bar body. Thus, the bar heads never interfere with freight articles which may extend, toward the car wall, beyond the ends of the bar body 70. Injury to freight articles by the heads is thus effectively prevented.

As thus far described, the bars 48 are raised to cm operate with side wall structures of the previously de scribed type wherein the supporting rails are provided with pin receiving apertures. As previously pointed out,

an important feature of the present invention (claimed in copending application Serial No. 545,196, filed November 7, 1955 and assigned to theassignee hereof) resides in arranging the bars 48 so that they can readily be converted for use with other types of supporting structures. United States Patents Nos. 2,091,869, granted August 31, 1937 to McCurdy and 2,030,773, granted February 11, 1936 to Thomas are illustrative of a commonly'encountered such alternative type of bar supporting structure.

In these arrangements, the car walls are either partly or entirely covered with apertured structures, either fixedly or adjustably positioned, and the apertures in which are adapted to receive retractable pin arrange ments carried at the ends of the bar. Figure 12 illustrates fragmentarily a portion of a car wall structure, arranged in accordance with said Thomas patent. In this figure, a metallic lining 140 is provided, which lining is provided with horizontally extending rows of spaced keyhole-like apertures 142, these rows being spaced vertically and the apertures in alternate rows being vertically arranged in staggered relation to give an adjustment between the pitch of one row by moving the bar down or up one row. Such a wall structure is shown in Figures 13 and 14. There is and has been a decided need in the freight loading industry for a, so to speak, universal bar, which can be utilized in cars provided with any of a variety of side supporting structures. This need is well filled by the bar of the present invention.

More particularly, and referring now particularly to Figures 7 through 10 and 13 and 14, each of the heads 72 (and, of course, the heads 74) is provided with one of the previously but briefly referred to adapters 106. Each adapter 106 is, as viewed in Figure 10, of general U-shaped form, having laterally spaced legs 150 and a connecting bight or bridge 152, the thickness of which is approximately that of the flange 52 of the previously described rails 46. The outer ends of the legs 150 are apertured to receive a pivot pin 154, which is rotat ably journaled in bearing openings provided therefor in bosses 156 which project downwardly from the previously identified'rear wall 112. Drive pins 158 hold the shaft 154 and the adapter 106 in assembled relation to each other and to the bosses 156.

In accordance with the invention as claimed in said application Serial No. 545,196, means are provided to releasably, but fairly positively, hold the adapter in the retracted out of the way position of Figure 7, and to lightly bias it to the preliminary or cocked positions indicated at b and c in Figure 14, and the active position shown in Figure 13. In the illustrated embodiment, this detent holding relation is achieved by providing the shaft 154 with a hexagonal cam 160, held in place by a drive pin 162. Only' four sides of the cam 160 are active, the six sided relation being preferred to enable the same cam to be used in connection with heads at either end of the bar.

. 8 A reinforcing rib 164 extends rearwardly from the rear wall 112 and is bored from the under side to receive a holding pin 166 and a biasing spring 168. In the position shown in Figure '7 the pin 166, of course, bears upon the highest one of the flats on cam and yieldingly holds the adapter 106 in the illustrated position. Similarly, the pin 166 bears in succession against the next two flats to yieldingly hold the adapter 106 in, respectively, the positions marked b and c in Figure 14. Finally, the pin 166 bears against the flat opposite to the one shown in Figure 7, to yieldingly hold the adapter in the active position of Figure 13.

In the active position of Figure l3, the engaging or retaining portion of the ofiset nose 170 of the adapter extends through a corresponding opening 142 in the wall panel 140, and a portion of the nose lies behind and in holding or anti-pull-out relation to the wall panel 140. In this position, also, the pins 62 on head 72 project (with a working fit) through openings 174 provided therefor in the adapter bridge 152, and the upper surface of the adapter bridge bears directly against the previously identified fiat under side 118 of the front wall 110 of the head 72. The openings 174 are slightly elongated to permit entry of the pins 62 during the swinging movement of adapter 106. With this relation, it will 'be appreciated that vertical loads applied to the bar are trans mitted directly from the adapter bridge and head engaging surfaces and are not required to be transmitted, in any large part, through the pivotal connection between the head and the adapter. Similarly, loads applied to the bar longitudinally of the freight car, are transmitted directly from the pins 62 to the adapter 106, thereby in a large part, if not entirely, eliminating these loads from the pivotal connection between the adapter and the head. The nose 170 is offset laterally from the bar axis to provide the aforesaid pitch-splitting feature. As before,

theoffset is a sub-multiple of the spacing between two adjacent holes 142 in vertically spaced and adjacent rows. This arrangement is preferred here in view of the pitch reduction permitted by lowering or raising the bar one row in the alternately offset rows of these perforated wall cars.

vIn applying a bar 48 to a wall structure of the type shown in Figure 12, the action is substantially as illustrated in Figure 14. In this figure, in the uppermost position, the heads 72 are telescoped outwardly to a point where they are immediately adjacent, or may in fact engage, the wall panels 140, and the adapters 106 are swung downwardly to points where the noses 170 are just ready to enter a corresponding pair of apertures 142.

If. now the bar is lowered slightly the adapters may be swung out, advancing the noses 170 through the apertures 142 and bringing the shoulders 170a behind and in holding relation to the panel 140.

While the adapters may 'be arranged to swing into locking or engaging position as the bar is raised, yet the presently disclosed arrangement is preferred since in use it is easier to lower the bar permitting the adapters to swing into= engaging position.

Thereafterlthe bar may be lowered into place, during which movement the adapters swing about their pivot pins 154. During the course of this movement, these pins 154, of course, follow an arcuate path, such action being permitted by the telescopic connection or connections between the heads 72. This arcuate path is shown in somewhat exaggerated fashion in Figure 14,-position 0 being approximately at the inner limits of the telescopic adjusting movement.

It will be noticed that when the-bar is in place, the noses 170 substantially entirely fill the openings 142 leaving only the small semi-circular enlargements at the tops and bottoms. If desired, of course, the noses 170 may be provided with ridges to fill these semi-circular spaces.

The full use of the entire horizontal and vertical surfaces of the openings 142 materially increases the load Th en ra fl unde gill 1 f h forward W 110, is disposed to directly bear upon the horizontal flange 52 of the corresponding side rail 46, and is provided with the two previously mentioned holding pins 62.

The previously identified latch 116, the nose 119 5 whereof underlies the flange 52 of the associated rail, is loosely journaled in the head 72, and is-biased to a latching position by a spring120 and also by gravity as can be readily seen in Fig. 7. Moreparticularly, the latchis generally hookeshaped, as viewedin Fig. 13, and q m r es th n an e be n po io 1 Port'ions 119 and 122 are interconnected by laterally spaced legs 116a. The bearing portion122 is loosely journaled'in bearing pockets defined by the inner surface 110a"of the front wall 110, and a pair of laterally spaced lugs 124 which project inwardly. from the side walls 114. A drive pin 123 blocks removal of the latch from the bearing 110-124.

Laterally spaced arms 126 project upwardly and rearwardly from the ends .of the bearing portion 122,.and are bridged at their outer ends by a connecting portion 128. Spring 120 is illustrated as being formed from a continuous length of spring wire bent upon itself to define a bight 130, which bears against the rear wall 112, and has spaced upwardly extending legs 132. These legs 132 extend over, around, and under the connectingportion 128 and the extreme ends thereof a e, hooked behind the leg portions 116a. From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the latch 116 may readily be swung in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 7, from the holding position therein, to a position in which it does not interfere with a movement of the pins 62 into or out of the openings 60. The spring 120 only lightly opposes such a clockwise rotative force applied to the latch 116. On the other hand, the latch positively resists vertical forces applied to the bar 70, tending to lift it away v from the rails. This is because of the hook-like character of the latch and the location of its axis of pivot.

In applying a bar between the rails46, the latches 116 associated with the heads thereof are, of course, swung to inoperative or unlatched' position, and'the bar is thereupon laid upon the shelves or flanges 52; Because of the free telescopic connection, the heads 72 may readily be moved to a position in which, though the baris supported by the rails 46, the spacing between the pins 62 at one end of the bar and those at the other end of the bar differs from the lateral spacing between theholes 60 in the rails 46 at opposite sides of the car; Under these conditions, while supported on the rails by its two pins 62, the cross bar 48 may readily-be slid along the rails until the desired position of adjustment is-reached, after which the telescopic connection may be adjusted slightly, enabling the sets of pins 62 to drop into their respective holes 60. In this use, the provision of two or more pins such as 62 prevents rolling over of the bar while thus supported. Thereafter, the latches 116fmay be released, at 'which time they assumethe-latching-position under the influence of gravityand of their biasing springs 120.

Alternatively, the bar 48 may be'laid upon therails- 46,

with the latches 116 in active position, inwhieh event] the under sides 119a: ofthe-' noses 119 rest upon the rails and support the bar during sliding and adjusting movement lengthwise of the car. When the desired position of adjustmentis reached, the latches 116' may be retracted or the bar pushed or pulled'dowu, allowing the harm drop into a selected lockedposition. Boththe surface 119a and the inclined surfaces- 1191) on 'thehead 72 will if resting on rail flange 52 tend to cam the head inwardly in adirectiontending to causethepins 62 to drop in holes 60.

It will be apparent that the general use and the flexibility of the present freight bracing or loading apparatus and'itsability to support freight-against longitudinal displacement in-the cansupportlfreight in tiers or decks,

. 311 subdivide. itinto various compartments are essentially or generally the same as that disclosed in the copending application, now Patent 2,679,214,.issued May 25, 1954,.assigned to the assignee hereof, and hence this common mode of general operation audits advantages need not be repeated here.

In freight loading systems of the general type.disclosed, i. e.,.in which a freight engaging member, such as a cross bar or its retaining means, is held' in-aselected adjusted position alongthe car side'wallsby a positive type-of securingmeans such as interengaging .teethor the engagement of one or more pins or projections inholes or recesses carried by the car side walls, a coarse or relatively wide pitch or spacing of these positive type securing means along the side wall membersisdesirable to achieve simplicity, lower cost, and in some respects, greater sturdiness. Inmany. and perhaps in most types of loads, only a relatively coarse pitch spacing or fineness of adjustment is required. However, in certain types of freight loads a liner pitch or adjustment isdesirable. Hence, there is a need for a pitch splitting arrangement er a means to subdivide the. normal pitch'spacing when ecessary which'is of low cost, retains the simplicity and sturdiness of the original system, and which does not introduce any additional movable elements or extra connections or engaging surfaces. Such arrangements are provided. by the present. invention in which it will be apparent that while the preferred utility of the pitch. reducing arrangement,v is in the adjustments longitudinally of the car yet its use. in other adjustments such as vertical, is within the broader purview of this invention as is the utilizationof the present principles of. pitch splitting in connection with securing means. other than. pins or projections received in holes and in connection with members other than the. present securing means. or pins 62 engaged simultaneously.

Coming now to the pitch splitting feature of the present invention, it will be noticed that. though the pins 62 are approximately symmetrically arranged withrespect to the longitudinal axis of. the bar for a substantially symmetrical loading of the bar, but. considered as a pair they are non-symmetrical: by one-quarter of the spacing between, adjacent rail holes 60,. the offset being in the samedirection at both ends. of the bar. Accordingly, considering two particular pairs of holes 60 at opposite sides of the car, the. position of. the bar body, lengthwise of the car, eanhe variedone-halfoff the pitcher spacing of adjacent. h'oles Gtl by. turningit end for. end to thus in, effect add; or subtract the one-quarter pitch offset.

This pitch splitting'feature, of. course, has the effect; of halving the pitcher. hole spacing or,.stated otherwise, hasflthe efl'ect of increasing,,inlthis instance, d'oubling the number of adjusted positions. which could otherwise be obtained witha given number of. holes 60.

In the more.generic. aspects, ofv the, aforesaid pitchsplitting feature, it,will. be noted that the bar may be manipulated relative to each railso, that either one of two pairsof pins engages a particular pair of'railholes, the position of thebarlengthwise of the car being determined by thechoice as to which ofjthetwo pairsof pins shallbeengagedindhe railholes. In this embodiment, the pairs of pins arelocatedatthe respectively opposite ends ofithe bar. In another of. the many possible variations of this inventive concept, each endof the. bar is provided with apluralityof pairs of,pins,.and the pitch splitting adjustment isefiected. by rotating the bar about itsown axis tobring a selected pair of pins into active position. A consideration 0f .the; foregoing. disclosure will make it clear that this .interpitchracljusting arrangement can be employedito reach any positionbetween the normal pitchspacings although the system is disclosed and is preferably used for sub-adjustments which are even sub-multiples (such as a half, third, fourth, etc.) ofthe .main pitch spacing which is preferably, but'not necessarily, uniform;

siderations make it preferable, to allow for asmall gap between the shoulder 170a and the panel 1 0, when the parts occupy the position of-Figure13.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that the connections between the adapters 106 and theside panels 140 are such that the bars, after being installed as aforesaid, cannot be removed except by a; reversal of the action described with respect to Figure 14. The noses/170 by lying behind the panels 140, positively prevent any tendency of the wall spacing to changeimtransit, due to weaving or other causes, causingtheadapter to pull out of the holes, and drop thebars. This is a diflicultyfrequently encountered with conventional cross bars.

Moreover, the aforesaid connections between the adapters 106 and the openings 142 establishes what will be recognized as an end-restraint connection between the bars 48 and the side wall structure. .This end restraint connection, of course, materially increases the beam loading capacity of the organization, since beam loads, instead of being borne entirely by the bar structure, are distributed to the wall structures. This same advantage of end-restraint is, of course, achievedwith the bar when used as shown in Figure 5, and is provided by the closely fitting pins 62 and apertures 60.

The simplified embodiment of Figures -16 is like that of Figure 7 except that it doesnotinclude the adapter 106 and so is not convertible. Similarreference characters indicate corresponding parts and .it is thought that no further description of Figures 15-16 is needed.

Figures 17 through 19 illustrate a modified bar construction, arranged for use with side rails such as 46, and Figure 20 shows the same bar converted for use with ,a wall panel structure such as is shown in Figure 12.

Referring particularly to Figures 17, 18, and 19, the body 180 of the bar is of generally boxlike form. ,Ne'ar each end, the body 180 is provided with an insert in the form of a channel member 182, the flanges of which are welded to the bar body as indicated at 184. In this instance, the head comprises an elongated H-shaped forging 186, the rear portion of which is of channel shape and is slidably received in and guided by the previously mentioned channel 182.

The adapter 190 is pivotally connected, by a pm 192, to a generally downwardly presenting channel-shaped member 194, which is slidably received in the bar body,

and the web of which lies'in surface engagement with the web of the fixed channel 182. Bolts 198 interconnect the forging 186 and the lower member 194. Washers 200 are carried by these bolts, and are approximately the thickness of the web of the channel 182. One of these washers and its corresponding bolt ride in a longitudinal slot 202 provided in the web of the channel-182. The other washer, in the position shown in Figure 1-7, abuts the end of the web of the member 182. With this relation, it will be appreciated that telescopic movement between the head structure 204 and the 'bar body 180 is permitted. As before, this sort of a telescopic connection may be and preferably is utilized at both ends of the bar. If it is to be utilized at only one end, the'head structure may be locked in place relative to the channel 182. i

The outer end of the head 204 defines a wall 206,'having a flat under side 208, and pins 210, which cooperates with an associated side rail 46 in'the previously described manner. Additionally, the he'ad'204 may-be provided spring 214.

16 with alatch212, biased to active position by ,a tensiqfl In further accordance with the present invention, the adapter 190, normally held in the retracted position byfa holding spring 216, may be swung to the position of Figure 20 for cooperation in the previously described manner with wall panel 1%. In this instance, also whenin the active position, loads are transmitted directly betweenthe adapter 19% and the nose 206 of the head 204, thui's largely relieving thepivot 192 .of such loads. i

Although only several embodiments are disclosed in detail in this specification taken with the drawings, .it'is to be understood that various modifications and other forms of the invention may he employed within thesc'ope of the appended claims. i i

The present application is a division of applicants" copending applications, Serial No. 51,272, filed September 25, .1948 (now Patent 2,497,683) and Serial No. 119,942,

filed October 6, 1949 (now Patent 2,725,826), assigned to the assignee hereof.

I claim:

1. For use in a freight car having a freight holding system including supporting members having a flange'extending horizontally along, and inwardly from, opposite side walls of the car and having longitudinally spaced holes therein; a cross member adapted to be secured in selected, adiusted positions between and resting onsaid flange of said supporting members, heads at each endof said cross member, each head having a bearing surface to engage and rest on said horizontal flange of said supporting member and a plurality of downwardly directed pins thereon to be received in said spaced holes, a ,vertically'extending opening in said head inwardly from its bearing surface, a latch member movably mounted therein, said latch'mernber having a latch portion movable to a retain- .wardly of the center of gravity of the latch whereby the latch member is biased by gravity to said retaining position.

4. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said opening extends vertically through said head and said latch member is loosely mounted in said opening for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis transverse to .the length of the cross member and has an operating portion in said opening at the top of said head, said bearing surface and said latch portion forming a mouth to receive said flange and said latch member being movable so that said bearing surface can be lifted vertically from said flange. 5. The structure set forth in claim '1 wherein saidlatch member is mounted in said opening for swinging about a horizontal axis transverse to the length of the cross member, said axis being located above said latch portion and outwardly thereof .with respect to the length of the cross member when said latch portionis in said retaining position whereby said latch member positively resists loads tending to lift the cross member from said flange.

6. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said latch member is mounted in said opening for swinging about a horizontal axis transverse to the length of the cross memher, said axis being located so that the forceof contact between said latch portion and said flange teuds'to drive said latch about said axis into tighter engagement with said flange.

7. A crossbar for use in a freight storage system of the type described comprising .an elongated freight engaging 11 body having a head fitting at an end thereof, said fitting having an opening therethrough transverse to the length of the body, said fitting having a bearing surface extending substantially parallel to the length of the bar, and a hook-shaped latch member in said opening and journaled on the walls thereof above said bearing surface and biased to an operative position, in operative position said latch member having a latching surface spaced beneath and in substantial transverse alignment with said bearing surface.

8. The invention set forth in claim 7 wherein said latch member has a bottom face that is inclined to extend toward the top of the fitting in an outward direction.

9. The invention set forth in claim 7 wherein said fitting has a bottom face beneath said bearing surface that is inclined to extend toward said surface in an outward direction.

10. The structure set forth in claim 7 including means on opposite sides of said opening defining bearing pockets for said latch member, said latch member having bearing portions loosely journaled in said pockets, and means on the fitting and engageable with said latch to hold said bearing portions in said pockets.

11. The structure set forth in claim 7 wherein said latch member is journaled on a transverse horizontal axis that is located outwardly, with respect to the length of said bar, of said latching surface when said latching surface is in operative position whereby a force on said latching surface acting in a direction normal to and away from said bearing surface will tend to move said latch member toward operative position and thus provide a positive lock.

12. A cross bar for holding freight in position comprising an elongated freight engaging body, a fitting at one end of said body having at its outermost end a substantially flat bottom surface adapted to rest on a support surface lying in a plane substantially parallel to the body, a pin projecting substantially normally from said bottom surface and adapted to enter a hole in said support surface, said fitting having an opening located longitudinally inwardly from said bottom surface and extending transversely therethrough, a latch in said opening and operably accessible from the top of the fitting, means on opposite sides of said opening parallel to the length of the bar defining inwardly and upwardly directed bearing surfaces, said latch having bearing portions mounted on said bearing surfaces so that the latch is loosely mounted thereon, said latch having a hook-shaped bottom portion including a latching surface, said latch being movable to and from an operative position in which said latching surface is spaced beneath and in transverse alignment with said bottom surface.

13. The invention set forth in claim 12 including an element on said fitting and engageable with said latch to hold it on said bearing surfaces.

14. The invention set forth in claim 12 including a spring connected to said latch and bearing against a side of said opening and biasing said latch to said operative position.

15. A cross bar of the type described comprising an elongated freight engaging body having a substantially rectangular guideway therein provided with an opening out of one end of the body, an end fitting adapted for operative connection to a cross bar supporting member and having an elongated neck of substantially H-shape cross section telescopically fitted in said guideway and extending through said opening in the end of the body.

16. A cross bar for use in a freight loading system of the type described comprising an elongated bar body a fitting at each end of said bar body and disposed within axial extensions of the outer surface of said bar body,

each of said fittings having a fiat surface extending substantially transversely and longitudinally of the bar body and extending to the outside end of said crossbar, each of said fittings having a pair of pins projecting substantially vertically with respect to said surface, the pins in each pair being spaced from each other transversely of the 12 length of the bar and the midpoint between said spaced pins of each of said fittings being ofiset transversely from the center line of the bar.

17. As an article of manufacture, a freight holding cross bar adapted to be removably rested on and slid along to adjusted position on and there engaged with selected spaced openings in a horizontally extending shelf-like portion of one of a plurality of vertically spaced and longitudinally extending members along opposite inner side walls of a freight car, said bar having a head at each end, each head having a downwardly extending projection to engage in said openings and a latch member biased to move to a position under said shelf-like portion to prevent upward motion of or withdrawal of said projection, and said latch member having an under surface slidable along on top of said shelf-like portion and carrying the weight of said bar when said latch is not'engaged to permit said sliding adjustment. I

18. For use in a freight car having a freight holding system including supporting members having a flange extending horizontally along and inwardly from opposite side walls of a car and having longitudinally spaced holes therein, a cross member adapted to be secured in selected adjusted positions between and resting on said flanges of said supporting members, heads at each end of said cross member, each head having a bearing surface to engage and rest on a said horizontal flange of a said supporting member and a plurality of pins extending downwardly from said bearing surface to be received in said holes, a vertically extending opening in said head, a latch member having a latch portion and movable to a retaining position in which said latch portion is adapted to engage said flange to prevent withdrawal of said pins from said holes, said latch member being pivotally mounted on said head member and biased toward said retaining position, said latch member extending through said opening and said latch portion extending outwardly of the lower end of said opening.

19. The structure set forth in claim 18, wherein each said latch member is mounted on a said head for pivotal movement about an axis located above and outwardly of the center of gravity of the latch member whereby the latch member is biased by gravity to said retaining position.

20. The structure set forth in claim 19, wherein each said latch member has a portion extending inwardly and upwardly from said axis and engageable for moving said latch member to move said latch portion from said retaining position.

21. A crossbar for use in a freight storage system of the type described, comprising an elongated freight engaging body having a head fitting at an end thereof, said fitting including an end member having an opening therethrough transverse to the length of the body, said end member having a bearing surface extending substantially transversely and longitudinally of the bar body, an attachment member mounted in said opening and journalled on said end member for angular movement relative thereto, to and from an operative position in which said attachment member cooperates with said bearing surface for limiting movement of said fitting at right angles to said bearing surface, said attachment member having a surface disposed, when said attachment member is in said operative position, spaced beneath and in substantial transverse alignment with said bearing surface, a locking pin mounted on one of said members and extending at right angles to said surfaces when said attachment member is in said operative position, and means connected to one of said members and engaging the other of said members for holding said attachment member insaid operative position.

22. A crossbar as defined in claim 21, wherein said attachment member has a portion extending outwardly of one end of said transverse opening and defining said surface of said attachment member, and said last named aerate-i 13 means engages said attachment member adjacent the opposite end of said transverse opening.

23. As an article of manufacture, a freight holding bar adapted to engage freight and comprising an elongated body and an end fitting adapted to rest on and be adjusted along and secured to a support having a horizontal flange provided with apertures spaced therealong, said end fitting having an end member having a surface adapted to engage and be supported upon the upper surface of said flange, an attachment member mounted in said end member ror angular movement relative thereto, to and from an operative position in which said attachment member cooperates with said bearing surface for limiting movement of said fitting at right angles to said bearing surface, said attachment member having a surface adapted to be disposed, when said attachment member is in said operative position, below said flange to limit upward movement of said end fitting relative to said flange, pin means connected to one of said members and engaging the other of said members on one of said members adapted to be received in said apertures in said flange, and means for holding said attachment member in said operative position.

24. As an article of manufacture, a freight holding crossbar adapted to be removably rested on and slid along to adjusted position on and engaged with selected spaced openings in horizontally extending shelflike portions of selected ones of a plurality of vertically spaced and longitudinally extending supporting element along opposite inner side walls of a freight car, said bar having a head at each end, each head having an end member adapted to engage the upper surface of said shelflike portion and an attachment member mounted in said end member for angular movement relative thereto, pin means on one of said members movable into said openings in said shelflike portion, said attachment member being movable to and from an operative position in which said attachment member co-operates with said bearing surface for limiting movement of said fitting at right angles to said bearing surface and having a surface co-operating with said surface of said end member and said pin means when said attach ment member is in said operative position, to prevent disconnection of said end head from said shelflike portion, and means connected to one of said members and engaging the other of said members for holding said attachment member in operative position.

25. The structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pins are offset with respect to the axis of said cross member whereby upon bodily motion of the cross member as a whole to reverse it end for end the sides of the cross member may be mounted in different positions wherein the sides of the cross member are spaced apart in said different positions by less than the spacing of said holes.

26. A crossbar for use in a freight holding system having horizontally spaced elongated and horizontally disposed support flanges having longitudinally spaced holes therein, said cross member being adapted to be secured in selected adjusted positions between and resting on said flanges, heads at each end of said cross member, each of said heads having a bearing surface adapted to be horizontally disposed and engage one side of one of said flanges, a latch member movably mounted on each of said heads and movable to a retaining position in which it is adapted to engage the opposite side of one of said flanges, and pin means mounted on each of said heads and extending substantially perpendicular to said bearing surface and adapted when said cross member is in a selected adjusted position to extend into selected ones of said openings in said flanges, said pin means being offset with respect to the axis of said cross member whereby upon bodily motion of the cross member as a whole to selectively extend said pin means into selected ones of said openings said cross member may be mounted in different positions spaced apart less than the spacing of said holes in said support flanges.

27. A freight holding cross bar comprising an elongated body adapted to engage freight and having a head section at each end for attachment to perforated support members, each of said head sections having a pair of fixed pins spaced transversely of said cross bar and adapted to extend through said perforated support members, each of said head sections comprising a bearing surface extending at right angles to said fixed pins and adapted to rest on one of said support members, each of said head sections also including a latch member having a latching surface, mounting said latch member on said head section for movement to and from a latching position in which said latching surface is disposed in spaced and substantially parallel relation to, and cooperates with, said bearing surface for limiting movement of said head section at right angles to said bearing surface to prevent withdrawal of said fixed pins from said one of said support members, said head section having means defining a transverse opening therein providing access to said latch member therethrough for manually moving said latch member from said latching position so that said cross bar can be removed from the support member, and means biasing said latch member to said latching position.

28. A crossbar for use in a freight holding system including a side wall having a support extending longitudinally thereof and having a plurality of apertures spaced therealong, said crossbar comprising an elongated freight engaging body having a head fitting at an end thereof adapted to be connected to said support, said fitting including an end member having an opening therethrough transverse to the length of the body, said end member having a bearing surface extending substantially transversely and longitudinally of the bar body and adapted to engage said support to support said head fitting and said end of said crossbar thereon, an attachment member mounted in said opening and journalled on said end member for angular movement relative thereto to and from an operative position for connecting said head fitting to said support and in which said attachment member cooperates with said bearing surface for limiting movement of said fitting at right angles to said bearing surface when said head fitting is connected to said support, said attachment member having a portion disposed, when said attachment member is in said operative position, spaced beneath and in substantial transverse alignment with said bearing surface, a locking pin mounted on one of said members and extending toward the other of said members and into one of said apertures when said attachment member is in said operative position and said head fitting is connected to said support, said locking pin being engageable with said support for limiting horizontal movement of said head fitting longitudinally of said wall and for limiting horizontal movement of said head fitting in a direction away from said wall, and means connected to one of said members and engaging the other of said members for holding said attachment member in said operative position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 20,860 Thomas Sept. 13, 1938 Re. 24,118 Fahland Feb. 7, 1956 570,657 Beckwith Nov. 3, 1896 1,597,091 McMahan Aug. 24, 1926 1,637,748 Harmon Aug. 2, 1927 2,091,869 McCurdy Aug. 31, 1937 2,268,394 Hebert Dec. 30, 1941 2,294,795 Moses Sept. 1, 1942 2,354,861 Hermann Aug. 1, 1944 2,466,728 Nampa Apr. 12, 1949 2,497,683 Nampa et al Feb. 14, 1950 2,514,229 Fahland July 4, 1950 2,556,302 Stough et al. June 12, 1951 2,679,214 Nampa May 25, 1954 2,725,826 Tobin et a1. Dec. 6, 1955 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,879,721 1 March 31, 959

Henry Lee Dunlap It is herebjr certified that error appears in the -printed specification.

of the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 13, lines 19 and 20, strike out "connected to one of said members and engaging the other of said members" and insert the same after "means" in line 21, same column.

Signed and sealed this 4th day of August 1959.

(SEAL) Attest:

KARL H, AXLINE ROBERT C. WATSON Atte ting Oflicer g a Commissioner of Patents 

